Honda has begun building pre-production versions of the Ridgeline pickup at its Lincoln plant. The Japanese automaker gave a sneak peek of that work today when U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, toured the facility.

Officials talked with Sessions about Honda's flexible manufacturing systems, which are allowing them to add both the Ridgeline and the V-6 Accord sedan to Lincoln's assembly lines next year. The moves keep up work levels at the plant, where employees currently build the slow-selling Odyssey minivan and Pilot sport utility.

Production versions of the Ridgeline, which will look very similar to the pre-production versions, will begin rolling off the assembly lines in January.